Friday, April 10, 2009

Tempranillo is the primary grape in Spanish Rioja. This grape variety is practically synonymous with Spanish wine, and I've been on a Spanish kick recently. However, not all Tempranillo is necessarily made in Rioja. Enter Bodegas Real's Tempranillo, made in the Valdepeñas, a wine region situated in the province of Ciudad Real, with 42 Bodegas, or vineyards. Here wine is a traditional family industry, and has been for decades; red wine is the primary export. The 2007 Bodegas Real Tempranillo shows a nose of dark berry fruit and slight spiciness, with more berries and oak notes on the palate, balanced to fine tannins. A good companion to hard cheeses like Manchego or Parmesan. $6.